Looking for practical Maori to Bambara phrases? This free guide lists 100 essential sentences for travel, study, work, and everyday conversation. Each line shows the Maori phrase first, then the Bambara translation (Bambara) — so you can scan quickly before a trip, class, or video call.
The phrases are grouped into eight topics: greetings and pleasantries, useful phrases for travellers, everyday conversation, directions and getting around, shopping and dining, emergencies and health, work and business, and time, days and numbers. Use the table of contents to jump straight to greetings, directions, dining, emergencies, or numbers. You do not need perfect grammar to start — short, clear sentences often work better than silence when you are learning Bambara.
Tip: read the Bambara line out loud three times, then cover the Maori side and try to recall the meaning — repetition builds memory faster than silent reading.
Bookmark this page for offline review, share it with a travel buddy, or open the Maori to Bambara translator to paste your own messages and get an instant translation.
Greetings and pleasantries
Hello, goodbye, please, thank you, and polite introductions for meeting new people.
Kia ora
I ni ce
Ngā mihi
I ni sogoma
Ata mārie
I ni bɔ
Pō mārie
I ni kɛ
Pō nui
I ni sɔgɔ
Nō reira
I ni tulu
Ka kite anō
N bɛ se ka
Haere rā
A bɛ se ka
Ko wai tō ingoa?
Nɛnɛ kɛ i tɛ?
Ko John tōku ingoa
N bɛ tɔgɔ John
Kei te pēhea koe?
I ni fɛ?
He pai ki te tūtaki i a koe
N bɛ se ka i fɛ
Useful phrases for travellers
Airport, hotel, tickets, and transport phrases for getting around on a trip.
Ka korero koe i te reo Ingarihi?
I ni ce English?(ee nee che English)
Kaore au e korero pai i te reo Hīndi
N mɔgɔ bɛ Hindi kɛ(N mo-go beh Hindi keh)
Kaore au e mohio
N mɔgɔ bɛ(N mo-go beh)
Tena koa korero āta
Sɛbɛn, kɛlɛ kɛ(Sebene, keh-leh keh)
Ka taea e koe te korero ano?
I ka fɔ a la?(Ee kah fo ah lah)
Kei hea te wharepaku?
Bamanakan kɛn na?(Bah-mah-nah-kahn keh nah)
Me pehea au e tae ki te pokapū o te tāone?
N bɛ fɔ kɔrɔbɔ?(N beh fo koh-roh-boh)
Huri ki mauī
Kɛlɛn bɔ(Keh-lehn boh)
Huri ki te taha matau
Kɛlɛn bɔ kɔrɔ(Keh-lehn boh koh-roh)
Haere tika
Fɔ kɛlɛn(Fo keh-lehn)
E hia te utu?
Fɛ kɛ?(Feh keh)
Kotahi te tikiti, please
Kɛnɛ ticket, please(Ken-eh ticket, please)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei?
I kɛ fɔ kɛnɛ?(Ee keh fo keh-neh)
Kua ngaro au
N tɛ bɔ(N teh boh)
Kei hea e taea ai e au te hoko kāri SIM?
N bɛ fɔ SIM card kɛn?(N beh fo SIM card ken)
Everyday conversation
Small talk, feelings, opinions, and common chat phrases for daily life.
Āe
Aye
Kāo
Ala
Tērā pea
Bara
Kei te whakaae au
N bɛ bɔ
Kāore au e whakaae
N bɛ fɔ
He pai tēnā
I bɛ sɛbɛn
He aha tāu e whakaaro ana?
I ka fɛ kɛ?
Ka taea e koe te awhina i au?
I bɛ ma n bɔ?
Kei te hiahia au i te awhina
N bɛ fɔ n bɔ
Tēnā tūrua
Sira kɛ
Aroha mai
N tɛgɛ
Kāore he raru
Ala ka fɔ
Ngā mihi
I ni kɛ
Hari huritau
I ni tɔgɔ kɛ
Kia pai te haerenga
I bɛ tɔgɔ kɛ
Directions and getting around
Asking where something is, left and right, distances, and finding your way.
Kei hea te teihana tereina?
Fôlô kôkô tîgê?(Kei hea te teihana tereina?)
Kei hea te pooti?
Fôlô bôgô tîgê?(Kei hea te pooti?)
Ko wai te papa?
I ni tîgê kô?(Ko wai te papa?)
He aha te wa e wehe ai?
Kô tîgê bô?(He aha te wa e wehe ai?)
Kei te tika tēnei ara?
I ni tîgê bô?(Kei te tika tēnei ara?)
Kei konei tata mai
I tîgê kâ.(Kei konei tata mai)
Kei tawhiti mai i konei
I tîgê kâ fô.(Kei tawhiti mai i konei)
Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?
I bô kô tîgê fô?(Ka taea e koe te whakaatu ki ahau i runga i te mapi?)
Tū mai i konei, koa
Tîgê kâ, s'il vous plaît.(Tū mai i konei, koa)
E hia te wā e tango ana?
Kô tîgê kô?(E hia te wā e tango ana?)
Shopping and dining
Ordering food, asking prices, paying the bill, and shopping at markets or stores.
E hia te utu o tēnei?
I ni ce?(ehia te utu o tei nei)
He tino utu tēnā
O ye fɛɛrɛ.
Kei a koe he mea iti ake?
I ni ka fɛɛrɛ?
Ka taea e au te utu mā te kāri?
N bɛ tɔgɔ ka kɛ?
E hiahia ana au ki te tepu mō te rua.
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ kɔrɔ.
Tēnā, te rīhi.
Kɔrɔbaw, s'il vous plaît.
Kei roto i te utu te ratonga?
Sɛbɛ ka fo?
He veggie ahau.
N bɛ sɔgɔma.
Kāore he kai pārearea, tēnā.
Kɔrɔ fɛɛrɛ, s'il vous plaît.
He reka tēnei.
I ye sɔgɔ.
Ka taea e au te rārangi kai?
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɔrɔbaw?
Tēnā, he karaihe wai.
N bɛ fɔlɔ jɔrɔ.
Emergencies and health
Help, police, doctor, pharmacy, and urgent situations when you need assistance fast.
Karanga ki te pirihimana
Nɔgɔ fɔlɔ(nogo folo)
Karanga ki te āwhina
Nɔgɔ kɔrɔ(nogo koro)
Kei te hiahia au i te rata
N bɛ sɔrɔ(n be soro)
Kei te pāngia au e te mate
N bɛ tɛgɛn(n be tegen)
He pātea au ki ngā pāhiri
N bɛ fɔlɔ kɛlɛ(n be folokele)
Kei hea te hōhipera tata?
N bɛ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(n be koro folo)
E mamae ana i konei
I tɛgɛ fɛ(i tege fe)
I ngaro taku pasapo
N bɛ kɛlɛ fɔlɔ(n be kele folo)
Ka taea e koe te karanga ki taku hōtera?
I bɛ nɔgɔ kɔrɔ fɔlɔ?(i be nogo koro folo)
Tautoko!
Tɛgɛ!(tege)
Work and business
Meetings, email tone, schedules, and professional phrases for the workplace.
Ka pai te kite i a koe
N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ(N bɛ se ka kɛnɛ)
Me whakarite tātou i tētahi hui
Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ(Ala ka yɛlɛ kɛnɛ)
He aha te wā e pai ana ki a koe?
I ni bɔ a la?(I ni bɔ a la?)
Ka tukuna e au te pūrongo i tēnei rā
N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ(N bɛ fɔ report la tɛgɛ)
Ka taea e tātou te kōrero āpōpō?
N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?(N bɛ fɔ tɛgɛ?)
Tēnā tirohia te kōnae e piri ana
Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ(Sɔgɔma, fɔ file la a bɛ)
Ngā mihi mo tō wā
I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ(I ni ce, a bɛ sɔrɔ)
Kei te titiro whakamua au ki te mahi ki a koe
N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la ka yɛlɛ)
Ka taea e koe te whakamarama i taua kōrero?
I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?(I bɛ fɔ a la fɛ?)
Me hoki au ki a koe
N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ(N bɛ fɔ a la kɛ)
Ko te mutunga wā ko te Paraire
Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday(Dɔgɔni tɛgɛ Friday)
Time, days and numbers
Clock times, days of the week, months, quantities, and counting for appointments and plans.